Measuring instrument and marker combined



Jan- 29, 1952 B. P. BOSTON MEASURING INSTRUMENT AND MARKER COMBINED Filed March 9, 1950 Benjamin P. 50s/on l N VEN TOR u Il g www @Mms Patented Jan. 29, n 1952 MEASURING'INSTRUMENT AND'MARKER COMBINED vBenjaminfl.;Bostomline ,Wood S. C.

Application March"9, 1950," Serial .No."148g550 The present invention relates torcertainnew `and useful improvementslin a-measuringiinstru- `ment and marker lwhich-latter is -A'mounted on and carried by the:measuring-instrument whereby to provide the vuserwith a-uni-tarfy instr-umentality for-expeditiously layingout work.

Although the aforementioned `measur-ing instrument may bewinthe for-m of a graduated-rule or -the like, it preferably takes the Aform `of a square such as used by V.carpenters and others,

uandthe marker ,preferably takes-the formof a conventional leadpencil. Thenovel phase of the invention, however, 'has to do with a square-having an especially constructed leg, aholder forthe pencil Awhich-permits the-pencil to be Vextended and retracted, and-an adapter for said holder whereby the latter may beaccurately andoper-atively mountedon -sa-id leg.

Another object of thein-vention is'to provide a multi-purpose instrumentality `wherein manufacturers and userslwill find their most essential needs fully met, contained and effectively -available.

Another object ofthe invention is `to provide a square whose longleg is providedlwithaslotted keying channel in which-a ball bearing-equipped slide is keyed for operation, AVsaid "slide serving `as -a reciprocable `mount forma Yplate inshiftable contact with said leg `and said `plate serving as an indicator for coaetion Withscales onthe leg `and also as a base and carrier `for Athe pencil holder.

More specically, novelty -is predicated ona leg of theaforementionedconstruction wherein the opposite longitudinal `edge portions of the visible face of the leg have duplicated scales, the latter being parallelto and on opposite sides of the slot, `the stated adapter platehaving suitably constructed indexes simultaneouslyzregistering with .corresponding graduations on their respective scales. Then, too, novelty is thought to reside in providing the leg along one longitudinal edge with an outstanding guide flange which Vserves as an accommodation ltrack for assembling and guide hooks which are-carried by one end portion ofthe stated plate.

What is more, 4the pencil holder, which -preferably takes the form of a cylindrical sheath or leg by Way of a slot I6. commensurate in lengths.

`in Fig. 1. `by a covermember I8 which is preferably screwed to the body member I0. A simple slide is Aem Yployed and this comprises an especially con- `Other -objects and advantages will "become-more readily apparent lfrom -the Vfollowing description Aand the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings,where in like numerals are employed to designate like partsthroughout theviews:

` Fig. 1 is a top plan view ofa square andmarker `constructed in accordance with the principles of -the instant invention; @and Fig, 2 isa cross section, `with parts in elevation.

" taken onthe line 2-12 of Fig1,*-lookinginfthc direction of the arrow.

In `general overall appearance the square isthe conventional L-typeiand includes a short leg 4 'fand a long leg 16. lParts!! and `6 iare sometimes nreferred as arms, limbsfbladesand s0 on. It is believed, however, that the lexpression legs is V*an acceptably descriptive term. At one endand on one edge the leg 4 is mortised Vas at 8 and the coacting end portion9 of the leg 6 is `fitted and secured in the mortise. The reason for this will belater explained. The body portion IIl of leg E is centrally provided in its underside with a groove I2 constituting a keying channel. This channel opens through the top surface I4 of the The slot and groove Vare It will be noticed that the left-hand end of the channel and groove extend into the'mortisedportion 8 of leg 4 as shown The bottom of the channel is closed structed bolt whose square head 20 lits snugly but slidably in the channel. The screw-threaded stud 22 extends through-and beyond Ythe slot and has a .clamping nut 24 thereon. Thehead has appropriate indentations to accommodate a plurality of anti-friction balls 26 and 28 which facilitate the movement of the slidefrom end to end of the channel. In this connection it might-be `noted that the right-hand ends of the .slot and channel terminate inwardly of the right-hand end portion `35.01 leg 6. Thus this end of the channelis closed and the opposite left-hand end is open to facilitate assembling of the slide atthe time of manufacture.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the `straight edge 32 which runs parallel to theslot I6 is provided witha suitably graduated scale 34. The straight ,edge Aon the `opposite side at 136 `is provided with a complemental scale 38- `and .the graduations of the two scales are duplicated.

Attention is now directed to the flat adapter plate 40. This is of general rectangular form and rests slidably on the surface I4. One end is fashioned into a pointed index 42 to coact with the graduations on scale 34. The opposite end portion is provided with a triangular aperture 44 whose vertex constitutes a second index which cooperates with the graduations on scale 38. The opening permits the graduations to be seen therethrough as shown in Fig. 2. These two indexes 42 and 44 are in obvious alignment with each other and serve to simultaneously coact with the graduations on their respective scales. The lastnamed apertured end portion of the plate 40 is provided with assembling hooks 46-46 which is slidably engaged with an outstanding flange 48 along the edge portion 36 of leg 5. The plate is also provided with an aperture to accommodate the extending end portion of the shank 22 of the bolt as shown in Fig. 2 and said plate is secured in place by the clamping nut 24. Thus the slide becomes a slidable mount for the plate and the plate becomes an indicator for the scale as well as an adapter for the pencil holder 50. Obviously, the hooks 46 `engaging the flange 48 serve to maintain the plate 40 accurately on the scaleequipped face of the leg 6.

The stated pencil holder 5I) is a cylindrical or corresponding sheath which is at right angles vto and mounted integrally on the indicator plate and is stabilized by suitable bracing fianges 5l. The cylinder 52 is provided at its bottom with a centrally apertured flange 54 which serves to hold in place a iiber sleeve 56 which constitutes a friction holder for the extensible and retractible `pencil 58. A ,piunger se is slidably mounted in the sleeve 62 carried by a cap 63 screwed on one end portion of the sheath and has a knob 64 which provides an appropriate grip or push button. The cup portion 66 of the plunger, which is inside of the casing, is in thrust engagement with thefpencil to force the pencil out when it is needed for marking purposes. A coiled spring 68 surrounds the pencil and is appropriately mounted inthe sheath or casing to return the pencil to its retracted position, once the marking work has been complete.

It is evident that by permanently attaching the projectable and retractible pencil in a suitable holder and slidably mounting the holder on the measuring instrument, the slide may be shifted back and forth for measuring purposes and the pencilrwill move in conjunction therewith. Thus, the line to be marked will be in relation to the scale markings or graduations and the graduations on the scales are observable by way of the indexes 42 and 44. The index 44 obviously points to and locates the longitudinal center line of the marking pencil 58.

It will be further Ynoted that by mortising the end portion 9 of the leg 6 in the mortised end of leg 4 sufficient clearance isrhad to permit the scale markings to begin at zero, using the edge 10 of the leg 4 as the point of orientation for both scales. Also, the channel and slot extend beyond the' graduations "6 at the ends of the two scales to allow the slide to move sufficiently far to the right to allow the indexes 42 and 44 to register with said markings'6.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after consideringv the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

cel

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

. 1. A structure of the class shown and described and comprisinga square including a leg having a longitudinally extending groove with a entrance slot, having a measuring scale along at least one longitudinal edge portion, said scale being parallel to said slot, a slide mounted in said groove and having a screw-threaded stud projecting operatively through said slot, a ilat in dicator plate in contact with and freely shiftable along the slotted surface of said leg and detachably mounted on said stud, said plate having indexes lined up with graduations on said measuring scale, and a, marking pencil and holder therefor carried by and at right angles to said plate, one edge of said leg having an outstanding guide ilange and the corresponding edge or" said plate being provided with assembling and guiding hooks slidably mounted on said flange.

2. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a measuring instrument having a leg provided with parallel straight edges and graduatedscale means,` said leg having a central longitudinal channel openingr through one transverse end of the leg and having its opposite end closed and terminating ,inwardly of thek remainingtransverse end of the leg and having a slot opening from the, channel through Vthe scaleequipped surface of said leg, a slide operable in said channel and having a screw-threaded shank extending through Vand beyond the slot, a at plate slidably contacting the scale equipped surface of the leg, said plate having an opening therein and said shank extending through said opening, a nut on said shank detachably clamping the plate to the shank, said plate having a pointed index at one end and having a triangular opening'providing a second index for coaction With'the graduations of said scale means, said leg being provided along one longitudinal edge with a tracking ange, the adjacent end portion of said plate having hooks slidably engaging said ange, and pencil holding means mounted on the hook-equipped end of said plate, said pencil holding Vmeans comprising a cylindrical sheath formed integral with said plate and extending at right angles therefrom and ay spring-returned plunger slidably mounted in said sheath.

BENJAMIN P. BOSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in thev iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS y Date 

